Gear-fastening device.



F. MEYER, GEAR FASTENING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1909.

Patented Apr. 19

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

FRANK MEYER, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS.

GEAR-FASTENING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MEYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Maywood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Fastening Devices,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a device to be used forfastening or securing gears on the shafts on which they are mounted, andwhile it is more particularly intended for use in variable or changespeed and equalizing gearing for automobiles, yet it is applicable forgears used for various other purposes, and it consists in certainpeculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement and operation ofthe various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forthand specifically claimed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means whereby gearswhich are adapted to rotate on shafts, may be readily thrown in or outof engagement therewith, and in such a manner that the engagement willbe positive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gear fastening devicewhich shall be simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable,and easily operated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in thesubjoined description and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it,referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is a centrallongitudinal sectional view through a shaft showing a pair of gearsmounted thereon, and illustrating fastening devices therefor embodyingone form of the invention, and showing one of the devices in engagementwith the gear, the other device out of engagement with its gear. Fig. 2,is a cross-sectional veiw taken on line 22 looking in the directionindicated by the arrows. Fig. 3, is aview partly in section and partlyin elevation of a portion of a shaft showing the part of two gearsmounted thereon and illustrating a modification in the construction ofthe fastening devices therefor. Fig. 4, is a view partly in section andpartly in elevation taken on line H of Fig. 8, looking in the directionindicated by the arrows. And Fig. 5, is a fragmental Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed. September 23, 1909.

Patented Apr. 19, 1910.

Serial No. 519,240.

view of one of the gears showing a key in the act of being withdrawnfrom its seat in the shaft.

Like numerals of reference, refer to corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawing.

Referring now to Figs. 1, and 2, of the drawing, the reference numeral10, designates a portion of a hollow shaft, on which two gears 11, and12, are shown as being mounted on ball-bearings 13, so as to rotateindependently of the shaft, or in other words, loosely mounted thereon.As shown, each of the gears is provided on the inner surface of its hubwith a recess or groove let, which extends longitudinally with re spectto the shaft so as to register with longi tudinally disposed openings15, formed in the shaft for the reception and operation of the fastenersor keys 16, which are extended through the openings 15, into the cavityof the shaft. Each of the keys 16, is formed with a groove 17, disposedlongitudinally with respect to the shaft 10, and is for the purpose ofreceiving an operating bar 18, which may be of sufficient length toextend through the shaft at one of its ends, where it may be connectedto an operating lever, (not shown) or said operating lever may beextended through a suitable opening in the shaft and connected to thebar.

Each of the keys 16, is provided at each end of its groove and at one ofthe edges thereof, with a roller 19, to coact with the adjacent edge ofthe operating bar 18, in its movement through the groove. As shown inFig. 1, the operating bar 18, is provided in its edge adjacent to therollers 19, with a recess or depression 20, which is inclined at each ofits ends to facilitate the movement of the bar back and forth in thegroove of the key. Each of the keys 16, is provided on its inner endwith one or more springs 21, which rest at one of their ends against theinner surface of the shaft 10, and may have their other ends secured innests or openings 22, therefor, in the key. At suitable pointsdiametrically opposite the openings 15, in the shaft, the same isprovided with sockets 23, to receive guiding pins 24:, on the keys.

In Figs. 3, and 4, of the drawing, is shown a modification in theconstruction of the gear fastening device, which is adapted for use onsolid shafts 10, instead of hollow ones as in the other construction. Inthis modified form, the shaft 10, on which the gears 11*", and 12, aremounted, is provided I proper direction so that one of the outerrollwith a longitudinally disposed opening or groove 25, for thereception of the inner ends of the keys 26, which have in their outersurfaces nests or sockets 27, to receive springs 28, which rest at theirouter ends against the wall of the groove 29, formed in each of thegears 11, and 12 and longitudinally with respect to the shaft. As shownin Fig. 3, each of the keys 26, is provided on each of its sides with anextension 30, and each of said extensions has pivotally secured thereto,a dog 31, which dogs are actuated by springs 32, and are adapted toengage recesses 33, in the sides of the gears. Mounted on a suitablesupport 3d, and radially to the shaft 10, and astride of each of thegears is a yoke 35, the inner ends of the prongs 36, of each of whichare turned toward the gears, so as to engage the extensions 30, on thekeys 26, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 3, of thedrawing. The inner ends of the prongs 36, are also segmental in shape orcurved, (see Figs. t, and 5,) for the purpose to be presently explained.The outer portion of each of the yokes 35, is provided with a groove 37,for the reception and operation of an operating bar 18 which has in itsouter edge, one or more recesses 20?, each of which preferably has itsends inclined. Each of the yokes 35, is provided in the groove 37, withrollers 38, to coact with the operating bar 18, in its movement throughsaid groove.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawing, it will be readilyunderstood that when the construction shown in Figs. 1, and 2, isemployed, the keys 16, may be held out of engagement with the gears bymoving the operating bar in such a way that the recesses or depression20, will be displaced from the groove of the key in which it is located,and when it is desired that the gears shall be fixed on the shaft, it isonly necessary to move the operating bar 18, in such a way as to permitthe recess 20, to engage the groove 16, of the key.

hen the construction shown in Figs. 3, and l, is used the operation isas follows The operating bar 18, may be moved in the ers 38, on the yokewill ride out of the recess 20, in which operation it is apparent thatthe prongs 36, engaging with the extensions 30, on the key will withdrawthe latter from the groove 25, in the shaft and permit the dogs 31, toengage the grooves or recesses 33, in the sides of the gear, thusholding the same out of engagement with the shaft.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters-Patent is l. A gear fastening device consisting ofa hollow shaft having an opening in its periphery and a socketdiametrically opposite said opening, a gear mounted to turn on the shaftand having a recess in the inner surface of its hub to register with thesaid open ing, a key located at one of its ends in the opening of theshaft and having at its other end a pin to fit in said socket andprovided with an opening disposed longitudinally with respect to theshaft, a spring interposed between the end of the key on which the pinis mounted and the inner surface of the shaft, and an operating barhaving a recess with its ends inwardly inclined in one of its edges andextended through the opening in the key.

2. A gear fastening device consisting of a hollow shaft having aplurality of openings in its periphery and a socket diametricallyopposite each of said openings, a gear mounted to turn on the shaftaround each of said openings and each having a recess in the innersurface of its hub to register with the opening which the gearsurrounds, a key located at one of its ends in each of the openings ofthe shaft and each having at its other end a pin to fit in the socketsof the shaft, springs interposed between the inner ends of the keys andthe in ner surface of the shaft, and an operating bar having a pluralityof recesses in one of its edges and extended through the openings in thekeys.

FRANK MEYER. Witnesses:

CHAS. C. TILLMAN, J. E. HANSEN.

